Planning for Unexpected Weather on Your Wedding Day

Spoiler alert - weather in Ohio is unpredictable. Obviously that's the case in many other places. My wedding rehearsal (October 3rd) was 70 degrees and thunder storming. My wedding day weather was calling for rain until 10am and overcast and chilly throughout the rest of the day. WELL. That isn't how it happened. We were planning an outdoor wedding and after looking at the forecast that morning, we decided to stick with the outdoor setup rather than moving to our Plan B, which was a beautiful little room inside our wedding venue. We set everything up outside and then went to get ready. We were having a first look, so as we were on our way to the park, we realized that we were being followed by a gloomy, dark cloud. We breezed through our photos and stayed dry at least. As we got in the limo to leave, it started pouring and I started freaking out. At the ceremony site, all of the chairs were set up, the arbor, the decor - everything. As the rain stopped, we arrived back at the venue and decided that we were just going to go for it. Our wonderful groomsmen and one of our photographers (bless his heart) went outside to wipe the chairs dry. We decided that Plan C, which was having the ceremony inside on the dance floor, would happen if it did decide to rain. Fortunately the sun came out before I walked down the aisle. Some of my guests even told me it snowed a little bit. It was cold, but it was beautiful and we powered through it. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do on your wedding day. Of course the following weekend was sunny, 70s and perfect Fall weather. On your wedding day and in life, you take what you can get, right? The day was beautiful, regardless of the weather. We were prepared and had our back up plans if we needed them. Being prepared for unexpected weather is vital for getting through your wedding day more smoothly. So I have a few tips to help you through it!

Preparing for rain.

Two words, bubble umbrellas. Obviously they'll keep you dry. There are also those clear, bubble umbrellas that photograph beautifully. If there's a chance of rain on your day, order one of those for you and the hubby, but also consider one for each Bridesmaid. It's a win-win!

You can also coordinate cute rain boots for you and your Bridesmaids. These are perfect to have when you want to swap out those open toed heels that are getting your feel all wet. Plus, another cute photo opp ;] Especially with those bubble umbrellas!

Don't forget to grab some towels! Even if it stopped raining, you may want to have a towel to wipe off a bench to sit on for photos or yourself if you get wet.

Preparing for heat.

Remember that cute umbrella? Having an umbrella to shield you from the sun can be a huge relief when you can't find a shaded area. Just set them off to the side during photos and you're golden!

Don't forget - HYDRATE, HYDRATE, HYDRATE!!! Seriously. I can't even stress how important this is, and I'm not talking about hydrating with alcohol. I'm talking good old fashioned water. For every single wedding, I have a mini cooler in my car filled with water bottles. Chances are, your bridal party has a cooler or two anyway. Let some water bottles join the party and add some to your stash. Your body will thank you for it later.

When it's humid and hot, we all worry about getting smelly. Sorry if this is TMI, but I'm kinda not sorry because deodorant wipes are a must have! Do not, I repeat, DO NOT bring the stick deodorant and leave it in the heat. This also might be TMI, but I've literally had a bar of deodorant explode on me with it's molten hot lava burning my arm pit. Needless to say, I've switched to deodorant wipes for wedding days. They're individually wrapped and super compact, so you can stash it in your purse without taking up a lot of space. And you won't catch your arm pit on fire.

Preparing for wintery cold.

Shooting in freezing weather can be very tricky on a wedding day. You obviously won't want your winter coat in your wedding photos, so accessorize your outfit with something warm like a sweater or shawl. Don't forget about your Bridesmaids! They'll need to stay warm while looking cute, too!

Add hand warmer packs to your coat pockets. If you're like me, you find having freezing cold hands ABSOLUTELY MISERABLE. Get some Hot Hands packets for your coat pockets so you can stay extra warm in between shots.

Pack a cute blanket. Better yet, have your blanket match your wedding colors. Pictures of you and your hubby cuddled up in a blanket is ALWAYS perfect. Plus, you'll stay warm. Bonus!

No matter what Mother Nature throws at you on your wedding day, take it all light-heartedly. You can prepare for it but you can't predict it, so don't stress too much. Just roll with the punches and don't forget the reason why you're there in the first place, and that is to celebrate your LOVE :]